Whether Hunter's lessons will be followed when a new coach arrives remains to be seen.
"I know it's a long summer here, but hopefully guys remember that to win in the playoffs you have to sacrifice, block shots, do the right things," forward Troy Brouwer said. "That's just what he tried to instill in us the entire time he was here and the entire stretch down the playoffs."
Here's how Hunter summed it up: "You put skill with a hardworking, gritty team, and you've got a winner."
McPhee doesn't have a specific timetable for finding a replacement, saying it might happen by the NHL draft in June or perhaps not until August.
"I'm not in any rush," McPhee said.
NOTES: G Tomas Vokoun said he won't be back. Injuries to him and Michal Neuvirth allowed Braden Holtby to become the starting goalie for all 14 playoff games. "I wasn't planning on being back here anyway. It was never my intention to be here more than a year," Vokoun said. ... F Jay Beagle broke his foot while blocking a shot in Game 5 against the Rangers and stayed in that game, but couldn't balance enough on the ice to play in Games 6 or 7 and needed surgery. He said he expects to be able to skate again within 2½ months. ... McPhee said D Tom Poti, who missed all season injured, "may have played his last game in the NHL." ... Among the team's unrestricted free agents: F Alexander Semin. Among the restricted free agents: D Mike Green. "I believe that we're going to win a Cup here," Green said, "and I want to be a part of it."
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Howard Fendrich can be followed at http://twitter.com/HowardFendrich
Copyright 2012 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
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